


To Serve or Slaughter

by beastlybrooke



Category: The Dragon Prince (Cartoon)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Vampire, Blood Drinking, Blood Kink, Blood and Gore, High Magician Viren, M/M, Mildly Dubious Consent, No Beta, Vampire Lord Aaravos, there's gonna be sex but first there's gonna be plot I guess, well more like Katolis but in Castlevania
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-04
Updated: 2020-10-26
Packaged: 2021-03-03 19:15:09
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,146
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24540655
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/beastlybrooke/pseuds/beastlybrooke
Summary: Aaravos is an ancient vampire lord that was banished and trapped in his own castle for hundreds of years.Viren is the idiot human confident enough to enter the castle alone, if it means protecting Katolis from a growing vampire threat.
Relationships: Aaravos/Viren (The Dragon Prince)
Comments: 33
Kudos: 192





	1. Upon Arrival

**Author's Note:**

> listen I rewatched TDP and then started watching Castlevania and was like mmm vampire aaravos so here we are. originally it was gonna be a smutty one shot but then a (sort of?) plot jumped out so sorry smut coming soon!

Lord Viren of Katolis approached the decaying castle with a look of fierce determination. He would be the man who finally conquered the haunted hill. He would not fail. He would enter the castle, find the dangerous weapon whispered of within, and he would emerge the hero that saved the human kingdoms from the vampires. 

And King Harrow, with his holier-than-thou looks and anti-dark-magic attitude, would hear him for the first time in years. 

However, as the castle came into view in front of him, it was certainly an intimidating sight. Spikes, rusting with age, boarded the entrance gate like a violent warning that said, “stop here and turn back, or face your death.” Black towers pierced the sky, some partially collapsed. Several skeletons littered the pathway up the hill, too old and decayed to be at all recognizable. 

In the central tower, there was a dark window overlooking the path from which a pair of glowing eyes watched the human’s approach. The human in question did not see them before they blinked away. 

Viren took a long breath, grasped his staff tightly, and continued forward. It did look cursed at the very least, he thought. Perhaps the other vampire he’d encountered during his travels to the castle had been correct in his proclamation that only “a fate worse than death” awaited him. Still, he had to try. For his children. For his kingdom. For Harrow, even though the damned king could not understand why. Viren would make him understand, he reasoned, when he returned having successfully retrieved the weapon to save Katolis. 

The last rays of the sun lightly caressed the castle before fading into darkness. Viren cursed his timing. Arriving at the home of a previously infamous vampire lord during nightfall was certainly not ideal. But the castle had been abandoned for centuries. Certainly not even the most powerful vampire could survive inside that long without blood. 

Viren kicked a skull out of the path and pushed gently at the door. To his surprise, it opened a crack, and the castle seemed to exhale before him. He used his staff to knock the door further open and waited. 

Nothing happened. 

Over the woods, a cluster of bats moved through the night, startling him. Viren cursed “Of course with the fucking bats,” before heading into the dark entranceway of the building. 

Without light, the hallway before him stretched out like an endless cavern. The balconies of the second floor were barely visible in the dark. Viren moved to light a fire in his palm with his staff and immediately gasped. 

The small bit of light was enough to reveal a fraction of the castle’s grandeur. Torches lined the walls, separated by paintings and decor of another age. The ceiling stretched up higher than Viren would have thought possible, revealing the many floors above. Viren marveled at the architecture. Nothing in Katolis even remotely compared to this ancient relic.

It was no wonder that in his wide-eyed worship of the castle, Viren missed the approach of a tall, slender figure through the shadows. It swaggered across the balconies to stop in the center of the nearest one on the second floor. 

The figure snapped and suddenly the torches all around them were lit with brilliant flames. Viren nearly missed stopping the yelp in his throat, but contained it in time. He looked up at the figure, now fully visible in the light, incredulously. 

Before him was a man draped in blue, translucent robes. His dark skin seemed to absorb the heat of the flames, while simultaneously reflecting off him in glittering freckles. The vampire’s hair was long and brilliantly silver, glowing like his golden eyes. He bowed to the human below him gracefully and spoke in a deep melodic voice that made Viren’s already frantic heart skip a beat. 

“How may I serve you?” 

Viren came back into himself at the sight of the man’s long, sharp fangs that were revealed when he spoke. 

“You’re the vampire,” Viren said, disbelief evident in his voice.

“The vampire?” he replied. “I surely don’t know what you mean.” 

“The others, they spoke of a vampire lord cursed to inhabit this place for eternity. I didn’t believe them.”

In one elegant motion, the vampire descended from the balcony to the floor directly in front of Viren. 

“Who are you?” asked the human, taking subtle steps backward. 

“I am Aaravos. Though I do believe I should be asking you first, since you're the one who so boldly just broke into my home.” 

Viren scowled. “It’s not like the door was locked. You certainly aren’t trying to keep anyone out.” 

Aaravos let out a laugh. “Oh? All the human skeletons and spikes aren’t threatening enough you think?” 

“Simply distasteful decor in my opinion,” Viren said, holding his ground as the vampire slowly stepped forward into his personal space. “Exactly what I would expect from a _vampire_.” 

Aaravos looked the human over with curiosity. “Ah, so you don’t like my kind? Then what exactly brings you here..?” He paused at the end of the question, as if expecting Viren to willingly give him his name. 

As if. To give a vampire your name is just asking to be cursed for all eternity, Viren thought to himself with a frown. 

“In my research I found the legend of a great and powerful weapon that lied in this place. One that could protect humanity and save my kind from you wretched creatures. You asked how you may serve me? Bring me the weapon and I will end your pitiful life in thanks.” Viren almost smiled, satisfied with his little speech and with the fact he didn’t stumble over his words in front of the vampire standing much too close for his liking. 

Aaravos cocked his head with interest. “I am unfamiliar with this weapon you speak of. You’re so sure it exists? And that it is located here?” 

“Of course I'm sure! You're lying,” accused Viren. 

Aaravos pouted and took a step back. “I’m not lying. I never lie.” 

A pause stretched between them as Viren tried in vain to read the vampire’s expression. Perhaps he wasn’t lying after all. It would be strange for a vampire to know of the key to his own destruction, and let it sit in his house without destroying it for centuries. Yes, the vampire must not be aware of the weapon’s existence. 

Viren would find it himself then. He just needed to buy some time alone in the castle. 

“Well, despite your clear resentment of my kind, I do find you rather intriguing, human,” said Aaravos, who had just come to his own conclusions. “Allow me to show you around the castle. Perhaps you will find some sign of this weapon as we walk.” 

Viren narrowed his eyes as the vampire gestured down the long hall. “How do I know you won’t kill me, _vampire_?” 

“I haven’t killed you yet,” Aaravos pointed out, winking. “It’s been rather lonely in the halls the past few hundred years. I would not think to kill my company so recently after they’ve arrived.” 

Aaravos began walking down the hall, his high heeled boots clicking on the stone and echoing about the room. “Besides, a magician like yourself would likely be able to defend himself quite well against the attacks of a vampire, powerful though I am.” 

Viren blinked, surprised by the vampire’s quick assessment of him as a magician. Most people barely believed in magic anymore, let alone that a human could have mastery over it. Yet this vampire had noticed and respected his power in a manner of minutes. He let out one last troubled sigh, then trailed after Aaravos as they entered his halls.


	2. Bloodlust

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW for blood/a small wound 
> 
> thanks for the love, hope you enjoy the update!

The rest of the castle was just as impressive as the entrance. It was also quite a maze, and Viren was quickly realizing that his plan to explore on his own might take much longer than he initially expected. Especially if he were to get lost. 

Lost in a castle by himself with an ancient hungry vampire hanging around, that lived there for several centuries, and surely knew how to creep around unnoticed.

Viren acknowledged that this situation was getting rather out of his control, as he weighed whether being lost alone or walking around with the damned vampire only several steps away from him was more dangerous. 

“This is the library,” Aaravos said, interrupting his thoughts. The vampire led them into a gigantic room with rows and rows of books, bound in all colors, titles engraved in various languages. The stacks rose from the floor to a painted ceiling that had to be three stories up. 

Viren couldn’t stop his gasp this time. This personal library held more than all the libraries of the human kingdoms combined, he was sure of it. 

“Please, take a look around,” said Aaravos, eyeing the human and looking rather amused. He gestured towards a particular shelf. “There's a great deal of knowledge I’ve collected about your human magics. I’d imagine you’d find those volumes of interest.” 

The human ran his fingers along the stacks, selecting certain titles and flipping them open to sort through the chapters. This was a truly impressive collection for a vampire, he thought, but there was no use for a vampire to keep so many books on magic that only humans could do. Surely, the monster wouldn’t notice if a title or two went missing. 

Viren glanced around him before attempting to subtly place one of the spellbooks into his pack. 

A dark hand appeared out of the shadows to find its place around his wrist. Aaravos seemed to materialize next to him like some sort of enchanted smoke. Viren jolted, then felt his face heat in embarrassment at being caught. 

“Naughtly little magician,” said the vampire, hand still clasped around his wrist. “I grant you entrance to my home, even allow your filthy mortal fingers to explore my books, and you repay me by what? Attempting to steal from your gracious host?” 

Viren tried to gently pull his hand out of the vampire’s grip, and the vampire allowed it, as he replaced the book in its proper place on the shelf. 

“My apologies. But I don't understand why you'd require such texts, when you cannot do such sorts of magic yourself.” 

Aaravos laughed, and Viren shivered at the realization that the vampire was so close he could feel the heated air of his laughter on his face. “Cannot do magic? Who told you that vampires were unable to do magic?” 

Viren’s eyebrows furrowed. “You mean to tell me that you can do mortal magic.”

Aaravos smiled and stroked the hair on Viren’s chin. “Of course I can do magic. Whether or not it is for mortals is irrelevant. Such human spellwork can always be remolded to suit my immortality, though it does require great skill to turn a spell from a living intent to an undead one.” 

Viren grew uneasy at the vampire’s gloating. He had not considered the possibility. He knew, of course, that vampires were able to perform magic of their own rite, those spells tied to their very existence as an undead being, but he’d always thought his magic special somehow. Beyond their touch. To think otherwise was... uncomfortable, to say the least. 

“Now come along, there is much of the castle left to see,” said the vampire, swaggering down the aisle. He paused and looked back. “Oh and, should you try to steal from me again, there will be harsh consequences.” 

Viren grimaced, took one last look at the books, and followed Aaravos out of the library. 

Several halls later, Viren had still seen no sign of any kind of vampire killing weapon. It didn’t help that he had no idea what exactly he was looking for, but he’d felt confident that he’d know it when he saw it. 

A little voice in the back of his head whispered that it might not exist after all, simply a legend told by the very vampire leading him around the castle: an easy way to lure unsuspecting humans into his castle where he devoured them. Still, the vampire said he’d been lonely for centuries. Would a vampire consider his prey good company? 

Viren dismissed the doubt from his mind. The weapon had to be real. Otherwise he would have traveled all this way for nothing.

He contemplated for a moment which was worse: returning to Katolis to face the combined might of Harrow, Sarai, Amaya, and Opeli empty-handed, or getting eaten by the damn vampire. He was leaning towards the vampire. 

Viren very narrowly avoided running directly into said vampire, who had stopped walking in front of him. 

“I’m afraid that’s about all there is to see,” Aaravos declared, then added salaciously “unless you’d like to get a tour of my bedchambers.” 

Viren quickly shook his head. He was starting to get rather flustered by this ridiculous vampire, who continued to ignore his personal space and had the nerve to invite him to his bedroom in his ridiculous voice. And what were to happen if he accepted such an invitation? Is that where Aaravos preferred to eat his victims? Did he lure them in with his beauty and charm them into a sense of comfort and contentment before biting their necks and sucking them dry? 

Well. He would not be so easily seduced. 

“I’d prefer to look around on my own if you don’t mind,” Viren said, sobering himself.

Aaravos smiled. “Go right ahead. But remember, if you take anything I will know.” He leaned in close to Viren’s ear and hissed, “consequences,” before vanishing into the shadows. 

Viren shuddered, then refocused. Enough with the stupid vampire and his stupid voice. He had a job to do. 

The human retraced his steps throughout the castle. Some rooms were seemingly empty, left alone to gather dust and cobwebs. Others were messes of broken furniture, all piled up and likely home to various rats and other vermin. In another wing of the castle, every room was well put together, in perfect condition just waiting for guests to come in and sit down to a cup of tea. 

Viren searched high and low for any trace of weaponry beyond the hanging sword and collected whips that decorated the walls. He felt along the bricks for secret entryways, like his own in Katolis. The vampire had to have some kind of passageway beyond the main hallways. 

But he found nothing.

He returned to the wing of the caste most broken down and abandoned. Perhaps one of the secret entrances had caved in, and he would be able to enter them that way. 

He shivered at the thought of the vampire discovering him in some secret labyrinth. Aaravos had declared there’d be consequences for stealing, but what were they for trespassing? 

Viren arrived at a tower in the west wing that was the closest to collapsing. The light of the moon, in a phase very near to full, filtered in through gaps in the fallen stone. On the next level of the castle, the human spotted what looked like a smaller passage, built into the wall of the hall. However, reaching it would require a good bit of climbing. Athletics had never been Viren’s strong suit. 

His desire for the weapon quickly overwhelmed his worry about the castle collapsing on top of him, and he began to climb up. 

Halfway between stories, Viren was decently proud of himself. He was clinging to several large bricks, his footholds small but manageable. He reached up to what might of at one point been the top of the wall, and clasped a sharp edge. 

He felt his mistake as soon as he’d made it. 

The sharp stone sliced into his palm, slicking with his blood. He tore his hand away on instinct, but lost a foothold and went crashing down the ground. 

With a groan, Viren tried to sit up. His whole body ached from the fall. He wished for days when he was closer to Soren’s age, and he didn’t hurt every muscle he had with a little stumble. 

Of course, at that exact moment, the vampire strolled carelessly down the hall and found him sitting on his ass in a dusty pile of crumbling rocks. 

Viren looked at his bloody hand with a bit of panic. It could not possibly be beneficial to dangle fresh blood in front of a hungry vampire, no matter if the vampire had sworn not to drink him or not. And Aaravos had sworn to nothing of the sort, possibly even threatened to do so. _Consequences._

“So it was you making that horrid racket.” 

Aaravos saw his wound and stepped closer, fangs almost seeming to grow longer over his lower lip. 

“Stay back!” shouted Viren, clutching his hand close to his chest and trying to look threatening, but utterly failing. 

“I mean not to hurt you, little magician,” said the vampire calmly, as he knelt down next to Viren. Despite his composed expression, there was a dangerous glint in his eyes. 

“Bullshit.” 

“Give me your hand,” Aaravos commanded, eyes glowing brighter than before. Viren tried to look away, but failed. He felt suddenly compelled to reach out to Aaravos with his bloodied palm. 

So vampires could enthrall humans with persuasion after all. Viren had heard rumors of it before. He tried to resist in vain, as his hand slowly trembled away from his chest. 

The vampire reached for Viren’s wrist and pulled his hand the rest of the way to his mouth. As their eye contact dropped, Viren was released from his hypnosis and tried anxiously to pull his hand away, but Aaravos held it in place effortlessly. Viren tensed in fear. 

But there was no bite. 

Aaravos licked gently across the wound, lapping up the blood that had spilled out onto his palm. The vampire closed his eyes as he inhaled the smell and took another sip. “You taste exquisite,” he hummed as he pulled away.

Viren did not know how to respond. He’d never been told his blood was delicious. In fact, he’d killed the last vampire that had tried to drink him without a second thought. He really should have at least tried to kill this one already too-

His line of thought was interrupted when he felt a slight tingling on the wound. He looked down to watch in amazement as the cut sealed itself shut. 

“You know healing spells?” 

“Of course,” Aaravos answered as he released Viren’s wrist and stood. “It would be distasteful to just let people bleed all about my castle. Much too tempting.” He winked, and Viren noted that was the second time the vampire had looked at him like _that._

The human had been able to pretend it was simple bloodlust earlier, but the way Aaravos admired him now was decidedly sexual. 

With true lust, not just bloodlust. Viren blushed at the vampire’s appreciative gaze and the word _exquisite_ echoed in his head. He pushed back against the rising feelings in his gut. No matter how beautiful, Aaravos was a bloodsucker. An enemy. It would be unfit to give himself to some undead monster. 

Specifically this cocky bastard. 

“What exactly were you trying to accomplish, climbing the walls and hurting yourself?” asked Aaravos, holding a hand out to Viren. 

Viren scowled and struggled to stand on his own, to Aaravos’ amusement. “I wasn’t _trying_ to hurt myself.” 

“You haven’t answered the question.” 

The human bristled and brushed himself off as he contemplated what bullshit to tell the vampire to get him off his trail. Despite his calculating nature, Viren had never been good at lying on the spot. He decided not to even try. 

“None of your damn business,” he spat and approached the wall to start climbing again. “You said I could look around on my own, so if you could just fuck right off, that would be remarkable.”

Aaravos chuckled at Viren’s impudent response and instead observed the area that the human was so set on reaching. To his utter delight, he saw the caved-in hallway and immediately factored it into his plan. 

“Do you trust me?” Aaravos asked softly in Viren’s ear. 

Viren startled again, unable to hear the vampire’s predatory approach. 

“Absolutely not,” he coughed out. 

“Shame. That entrance to the secret passages dead ends some leagues east, where another wall collapsed. However, I could guide you through the passage that’s still accessible,” Aaravos stepped in intoxicatingly close to Viren’s face til he was flush against the rock pile, “...if you trust me.” 

Viren looked into the vampire’s golden eyes, glanced up at the broken bricks behind him, then back at Aaravos. “That does sound easier.”


	3. Seduction

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tw for blood kink
> 
> its the smut chapter y'all I made it (this my first time posting smut so I hope its up to par haha)

Aaravos led Viren down the wing as they retread his steps from earlier. The air was buzzing with some kind of magic energy, clearly coming from Aaravos, who kept glancing back at Viren, his excitement palpable. It was making the human rather uncomfortable, as he stomped along behind him, arms crossed and eyes looking anywhere but at the smug vampire. 

They stopped in the central part of the castle, at a large painting. It seemed to depict a council of vampires, all gathered around a circular table, in the midst of a fierce debate. One of them, sporting golden eyes and a daunting smirk, looked uncannily like Aaravos. 

“Is that one you?” Viren asked, while Aaravos toyed with a mechanism on the side of the frame. 

“Hmm? Oh yes, correct.” Aaravos’ eyes seemed to gloss over as he stared at his painted counterpart. “Many, many centuries ago, I was a highly respected member of the council of the undead. Their Archmage, actually.” 

The vampire flicked at the mechanism and the painting swung open, revealing a tight, hidden corridor. The duo stepped in, and to Viren’s dismay, the painting closed on its own behind them, the mechanism clicking as it shut, leaving them in total darkness. 

In front of him, the vampire’s eyes were glowing golden, the only thing that Viren could see around him. Then suddenly, Aaravos snapped his fingers, bringing a flame to life in his palm. 

“Put your palm out,” said the vampire, with a smirk as he stepped into Viren’s space. 

Viren backed up and sneered. “I know how to do a simple fire spell, thanks.” He snapped his own fingers and lit a small flame, warmly lighting a bit more of the space. 

“Very good,” Aaravos nodded in approval, then turned to continue down the passage. 

They moved in silence for some time, until Viren’s curiosity got the better of him. His mind was still hovering on the painting of Aaravos they had entered through. 

“Is there still a vampire council?” Viren had heard of some organization between the vampire clans. However, after the first great war between humans and vampires, it was rumored that both sides had disbanded into smaller kingdoms, managed without any central coordination. 

“I’m not sure,” Aaravos shrugged. “I wouldn’t know if there is one. They imprisoned me here during the war. Didn’t like my _ideas._ ” Aaravos looked back at Viren and smiled, though it seemed like an excuse to flash his fangs. 

“And what were your ideas?” Viren asked, instantly regretting it. 

“Oh, mostly my regard for human life. What can I say, I like you little mortals,” the vampire responded with a laugh. 

Viren’s eyes widened as he tried to imagine a vampire lord, an archmage of the undead in fact, that defended humans so fiercely to his cohorts they not only banned him from the council, but confined him to his own castle for eternity. 

But no, it couldn’t be that simple could it? He was still a vampire, still needed to kill them and drain them of their blood to survive. Any regard he might hold for their lives was irrelevant next to the fact that he was the predator and they were all prey, a fact that could never be altered. 

Yet, he must have cared about mortal life enough to be banished for it. And that look from earlier had been rather suggestive...

Viren shook himself of this line of thought as they took a sharp turn. It was too dangerous to imagine that Aaravos might actually value him beyond the blood running through his veins. He might do something he’d regret, or worse, something that would get him killed. 

“I have been thinking about this weapon that you spoke of,” said Aaravos, as they continued down the winding passageway. “I have no tangible proof that such a weapon exists. However, I do believe what you’ve heard to be correct. There may be a great power hidden in the castle that could help defeat the vampires as you so wish.” 

“What do you mean?”

“Are you sure that the power to defeat the vampire armies is a simple object? Or was the idea of a weapon something you gave shape to yourself?”

Viren considered this. When he had heard about the power hidden in the castle, he had immediately assumed it to be something physical, tangible. But the possibility did exist that the power was something else entirely... knowledge, or a spell. 

“It may not be a weapon. Your library holds a great collection of spellwork, yes? Are you suggesting there might be a spell that could turn the tide against the vampires?” Viren asked, eyes narrowed in concentration. 

Aaravos came to the end of the hidden passage and stopped, turning towards Viren. “Perhaps,” he said, with a slight frown, as if that were not the answer he was going for. Then he pushed the wall in front of him slightly, as it swung open. 

Aaravos snapped his fingers, sending the flame from his palm to several torches hanging on the walls, and a room materialized in front of them. It was grand and spectacularly furnished, the main feature being a large, luxurious looking bed. 

Aaravos stepped through the doorway and beckoned Viren through, but the human was frozen inside the passage. The flame is his palm flickered out decidedly.

“This is your... bedchamber,” declared Viren after much hesitation. 

Aaravos nodded with a teasing glint in his eye. “You were curious as to where the hidden passages led.” He gestured almost enthusiastically about the room. “They lead here.”

Viren rolled his eyes forcefully, let out a deep sigh, and stepped into the room. Covering this secret entrance was a decorated tapestry depicting the constellations. Aaravos pushed this door closed himself, once again stepping unnecessarily close to the human to do so.

“Isn’t it considered rather late for a human? Would you like to rest?” Aaravos asked, waving a hand toward the bed. 

Viren pointedly avoided his eyes. “No, thanks. I’m feeling very awake.” He was becoming more and more convinced this is where he was going to die. 

Aaravos stepped closer, until he was only a fingers length from brushing against Viren’s chest, and Viren fought the burst of heat in his stomach with every ounce of willpower he had.

There was simply no way he was being seduced by this damned vampire. 

Even if his voice sounded like sex incarnite, and he was the most beautiful creature Viren had ever seen, and he was looking at Viren like he just might have the same regard towards him. 

Ok so... maybe he could accept some small gesture of affection. A brush of hands. A slight touch. 

He hadn’t been this close to anyone in years, and he was feeling rather intoxicated by him, undead or not. 

“Good. Then perhaps we could do something more... stimulating” Aaravos said, before tipping Viren’s head up and pouncing onto his lips. 

Viren’s body responded before his mind could catch up. His lips moved with the vampire’s, and he could almost taste his own blood on them. He tangled a hand in Aaravos’ hair, the other grasping at the back of his neck, desperately pressing them closer together as he felt Aaravos’ hand on the small of his back do the same. 

So much for small gestures of affection. 

Viren felt the desire he’d worked so hard to control spark back up in his stomach with a new, stronger fire to it. He let his lips part and Aaravos responded instantaneously, his tongue darting in to explore the new territory. Fangs grazed against his bottom lip, and Viren was embarrassed at his involuntary moan. 

Vampire fangs were not among acceptable things to turn Viren on. But here he was, nonetheless, almost wanting them to sink into his skin. 

Aaravos let go of his grip on Viren for a moment to push him into the wall, then tugged at his thighs as if wanting Viren to wrap himself around the vampire’s body. He responded in kind, feeling the vampire lift him up against the wall, as they sloppily tangled their tongues between fangs. 

Then suddenly the wall was gone from Viren’s back and Aaravos was grabbing his ass as he carried him to the bed with effortless, inhuman strength. 

Aaravos pulled away and dropped him overtop the silk sheets roughly. Viren tried to take a moment to gather himself, to think for a second that he was doing exactly what he said he wouldn’t do and he should probably stop, but the vampire was already on top of him and he was already hard and maybe this one time would be acceptable. 

Their lips were crashing together again as Viren realised Aaravos was stripping off his shirt. The vampire released his lips and shifted down to his neck, nipping at his skin and causing Viren’s breath to catch in his throat. 

“Don’t-” he started to say, but then Aaravos was palming his dick through his pants and Viren couldn’t get the words out anymore.

Aaravos chuckled, his breathe tickling Viren’s neck, and he moved both his hands to work at Viren’s shirt. “Don’t what?” he asked, cocking his head with a smile. 

Viren glared back up at him. “Never mind,” he said, throwing his own shirt off. 

Aaravos ran a hand through the hair decorating Viren’s chest, and Viren choked on the laugh that had nearly made it out of his throat. 

“Fascinating,” purred Aaravos, and he wrapped his lips around one nipple, his fingers circling the other. Viren reached his hand out to tangle in the vampire’s hair again, his breath coming in little gasps. Pulling his hair, Viren dipped down for another kiss, and Aaravos obliged, resting a hand overtop of the human’s quickly beating heart. 

“So eager,” he whispered against Viren’s lips, taping a finger on his chest. “So alive.” 

Aaravos slipped down to his waist and licked at Viren’s dick, cloth still hiding it from view. “I so enjoy you, little magician,” he grinned before pulling the waistband down and taking his cock into his mouth. 

Viren gasped at the new feeling, as Aaravos took more and more of him. The vampire pulled off a little, licking around his tip, then indulging in another taste of Viren’s cock, while his fingers lightly grasped his balls. He took Viren deep into his throat, moving at a relentless pace, and Viren tried to contain his thrusts. Aaravos pulled off again, licking the leftover precum off his tip. 

“Turn over,” said the vampire, standing to finish undressing. Viren took a shaky breath and pulled whats left of his own outfit off. He didn’t quite avoid blushing when he saw the vampire’s dick, and he lied back facedown on the bed as an excuse to hide his face, until he realized the implication. 

Flipping back around, he caught Aaravos muttering a quick spell into his fingertips, coating them with a clear, glossy liquid. Viren’s eyes widened at the vampire’s suggestive flex of his now dripping wet fingers. 

“Wait, wait, how come you think you’re gonna fuck me and not the other way around?” he asked, face still heated, but making hard eye contact with the vampire. 

Aaravos laughed and fluttered his eyelashes. “Don’t you want _me_ to fuck _you_?” 

Viren gulped at the sound of his voice. It sounded even sexier than before considering the topic. “Well, yes,” replied Viren before he could stop himself, the heat in his groin rekindling as Aaravos looked him over. 

“Then turn over,” repeated Aaravos, and Viren surrendered with a sigh, rolling onto his stomach and resting on his elbows, grasping at the fabric of the comforter in preparation. He was really going to let the vampire fuck him, he bemoaned in his head. He was going to let the goddamn vampire fuck him, because undead or not, Aaravos was too gorgeous for him to let the opportunity pass, and he was really, _really_ into the idea of Aaravos’ dick inside of him, whether he admitted it out loud or not. 

He felt when Aaravos rejoined him on the bed, as the weight shifted behind him. Then Aaravos was squeezing his asscheek, retreating and coming down to slap him hard. 

Viren started to shout but it turned more into a moan on the way out. He gripped tighter to the sheets as Aaravos fondled his ass again. When the first finger slipped inside him, Viren arched, letting his legs fall further apart. Aaravos added another finger, then one more, pumping his fist into Viren while stroking down his spine with his other hand. 

Viren relaxed into the rhythm, moving his body in tandem with Aaravos’ strokes. He almost forgot for a moment that his partner was a vampire, giving in to his yearning and letting his moans grow louder with each thrust of Aaravos’ fingers. 

Aaravos slapped his ass again as he pulled out, replacing his hand on Viren’s thigh and slowly working his cock inside. Viren yelped at the combination of sensations, arching up to bring Aaravos deeper into him, until he bottomed out. 

Aaravos kissed at the back of his neck, thrusting slowly. 

“Faster,” Viren whined, then cringed. Aaravos let out a little laugh into his ear, nipping at it while he began to thrust harder, increasing his pace. 

He brought a hand up from his thighs to grasp at Viren’s shoulder. “I’m not going to hurt you,” Aaravos said in his ear, and before Viren could register what exactly that meant in this context, Aaravos was dragging his fangs down the base of Viren’s neck, gently slicing two little slices into his skin. 

At the same moment, Aaravos adjusted his thrusts to hit that perfect spot and Viren saw stars, crying out the vampire's name, the lust heavy in his voice. 

The vampire responded with an equally filthy moan, keeping up his rhythm as he kissed and sucked at the wounds he’d made, licking up the blood with fervor. 

“It’s been so long since I’ve had such pleasure,” the vampire groaned into his ear. “Your taste is beyond compare.” 

Aaravos tangled his fingers in Viren’s hair and yanked his head back, causing another gasp from the human. “You’re _truly_ something _special_ ,” he murmured, and Viren could feel his climax building, despite having barely been touched. 

As if he could hear Viren’s thoughts, Aaravos let go of his hair and moved his hand to wrap around his dick, thrusting and pumping in time, his tongue back to lapping up the blood running down the human’s back. 

Viren climaxed first, his heart racing, cum spurting into the bedsheets as he half shouted, half moaned, “Aaravos!” The vampire followed suit seconds after, slowing to a stop as he filled Viren. 

Aaravos pulled out and grazed his fingertips against the cuts on Viren’s neck, sealing them shut, before he flopped onto the bed beside Viren, who was still catching his breath. 

Viren blinked at Aaravos, then against his better judgement, he dipped his head toward the vampire to capture his lips in a kiss, slow and sensuous, one hand cupped on his jaw. “You’re special too,” he said, and he kept his eyes closed to keep from having to see the vampire’s reaction and further embarrassing himself. 

But he could feel the vampire’s smile against his lips, and he decided perhaps he could take a peak after all. 

Aaravos was smiling at him, head tilted, eyes glowing brightly. “You know, I still don’t know your name,” he said, and even without persuasion, Viren knew he wouldn’t be able to resist that look. 

“Viren,” he said softly. “High Magician Viren of Katolis.” 

“ _Viren_ ,” echoed Aaravos, and Viren felt a shiver run down his spine. Then Aaravos was pulling him closer and flipping the covers over them, with a hand hovering over Viren’s heart. 

There was no telling how much Viren would regret this in the morning, but for now he thought as he drifted into sleep, he was quite satisfied with how this whole adventure was turning out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> listen viren is just a bottom that likes to act like he's a top


	4. Glory & Gore

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW blood, gore
> 
> well, I wanted to get this out far sooner than October, but better late than never I suppose. to make up for the long wait, this chapter is about double the word count of previous chapters :)
> 
> also, take a look at this [absolutely stunning fan art](https://twitter.com/Blazitastic/status/1317839573007859712) by Blazitastic!!!

Viren woke up hours later, wrapped in silk sheets and entirely alone. 

As he blinked the sleep from his eyes, he very quickly came to three startling realizations. 

The first arrived in the form of the visceral memory of his lust filled activities only hours before, featuring his vampire host. He had let the vampire fuck him. Genuinely fuck him. And he had _enjoyed_ it. So much so, in fact, that he’d even been weak enough to cling to the vampire as he fell asleep and tell him he thought he was special. 

The second was slightly more worrisome, if that was even possible. Not only had Aaravos thoroughly taken him in his bed, but the vampire had been so bold as to feed from him during the act. He wouldn’t have been surprised to find out Aaravos had fed again while he was sleeping and then healed the wound, with him none the wiser. Perhaps this was how Aaravos treated all his human guests. Seducing them into his bed, feeding off them until they were no longer complacent in the act or he grew tired of their company, and finally devouring them. 

The third came to him suddenly, interrupting his other worries with an overwhelming and immediate panic. He sat up in the bed, sheets cascading off his nude form. He’d told the vampire his name. Not a fake name either, his real, actual name. And his title with it. And his kingdom. 

Viren threw off the rest of the sheets surrounding him, and hastily got out of the bed in search of his clothes, shaking with panic and rage. 

The vampire had seduced him into such archaic contentment, natural complacency, taken him, fed from him, and then asked for his name. And he fell for all of it, for everything. 

Forget the weapon, he thought as he threw the door open and left the bedchambers. Whatever vampire-destroying knowledge was in the castle could wait. 

He was going to kill this fucking vampire first. 

-

Viren found Aaravos in the library. 

He looked calm, self-assured as he flipped pages between his fingers and ignored Viren’s heavy footsteps approaching. Viren summoned a burst of flames with his staff and lobbed it at the vampire with a grunt. 

Aaravos merely deflected it with a flick of his wrist, as an invisible wave of water seemed to hit the flame and instantly smother it. He snapped the book closed with his other hand and returned it to the shelf, finally giving Viren his full attention. 

Viren sputtered, a bit of primal fear coursing through him at the vampire’s powerful show of magic. “You bloodthirsty monster,” he spat. “How dare you!?” 

Aaravos cocked his head. “How dare I what?” 

“Hyponotize me into fucking you! What else!?” Viren emphasized his point with what he imagined was a subtler spell, sending out a small beam of light that whizzed through the aisles and aimed for Aaravos from behind. 

“So we’re back to this already?” Aaravos rolled his eyes and let out a low sigh, blocking the beam with another light gesture. “I thought we’d put your prejudice behind us. Well, behind you at least,” he smirked, looking Viren over. 

The salacious look only served to ignite Viren’s rage even further. Despite his better judgement, which whispered that he could never take on this vampire lord and win, that he didn’t even have a plan on how to defeat him, that Aaravos didn’t even have any noticeable weaknesses, the magician charged forward. 

He summoned three icy stakes, his first defense against vampire attacks on most occasions, sending them rocking towards Aaravos’ chest. They melted within seconds, Aaravos creating flames with a snap. He tried again, circling Aaravos, sending every offensive spell in the book at the vampire, who only countered his attacks, smiting and dodging every blow. 

Finally, with a furious cry, Viren ignited his staff in a green glow and swung it directly at the vampire’s smug face. 

For the first time in the fight, Aaravos’ eyes seemed to radiate with power, every speckle on his skin alight. “ _ENOUGH_.” His voice echoed throughout the castle, deep and severe. The vampire reached his hand up to tighten around Viren’s neck, and he slammed the magician into the wooden end of a row. 

Viren dropped his staff and pried helplessly at Aaravos’ fingers, ignoring the wave of attraction he felt. 

“You will not come into my dominion and scorn me.” His fangs looked longer and more threatening than Viren had ever seen them. “Do not forget who really holds the power here, no matter how much I grant you.” 

Viren, struggling to breathe, nodded. Aaravos released his grip and took a step back, his eyes and freckles dimming, though the light behind them did not dim completely. Viren collapsed to his knees to catch his breath. 

His heart was racing, thoughts too. He could not defeat Aaravos with magic, that much was clear. Perhaps he should just revert to his original plan: find the weapon and then get as far as possible from this forsaken castle. Or better yet, find the weapon and use it to kill the asshole before leaving. 

Yes. That was it. He was no closer to finding the hidden secret, but he at least had a plan now. There was only one thing left to do before he could return to his search.

He picked himself off the floor and glared at Aaravos. “Fine. Deal. But I do not want you hypnotizing me or feeding off me again.” 

The vampire’s serious look shifted suddenly into amusement. “Oh Viren. The only time I hypnotized you was before I healed your hand. Everything you did last night was of your own accord.” 

“That’s not true.” That couldn’t be true, right? Was he so blinded by lust that he’d let the vampire fuck him without supernatural persuasion? Viren quickly looked away, breaking eye contact. He couldn’t possibly have let himself be that weak. 

“Whatever you must tell yourself,” Aaravos sighed, plucking the staff from the floor and examining it. 

Viren was about to demand his staff back when a resounding melody interrupted his thoughts. He looked to Aaravos just in time to catch him twitch, as his eyes widened slightly. 

“Someone is coming.” Aaravos pushed the staff to Viren’s chest, staring out of the doorway towards the castle entrance. “You need to hide. The visitors cannot see you.” 

The vampire must have spelled the border of his castle to detect outsiders. Viren wondered briefly if the spell had warned of his arrival as well. He clutched at his staff, rapidly trying to turn the situation back in his favor. “Who are they?” he called, as Aaravos sauntered away. 

“Servants of the Vampire Queen Khessa. They will kill you if they find you,” he warned, and then he was gone. 

Khessa. Viren had heard her name before, a powerful overlord, with great influence and a large realm of vampires to rule over. She had been most troublesome for him in the past, as her realm was a neighbor to Katolis. Most recently, she had sent a small party into Katolis to retrieve humans for feeding, and not even Amaya had been able to chase them off without great losses. 

Any information he could gather about her forces would be most beneficial in countering their next attack. 

New plan decided, Viren quickly made his way from the library to the upper levels of the castle, looking for a shadowy ledge to watch the entrance from. He found one quickly enough, a hallway that sat over the grand area he had entered through. Even better, there was a crack in the brick, just wide enough for him to catch the visitors’ approach. 

Four horse-like apparitions, blackened with bones protruding, galloped toward the entrance. Their riders were indiscernible to him in the dark, and he could make out only the beasts’ glowing red eyes and their cloaked travelers. He heard the bones cracking under their hooves and cringed. 

The group slowed to a stop at the stairs, and the riders dismounted. One seemed to cast their eyes up the wall of the castle, and Viren jumped back, suddenly feeling a little too conspicuous for comfort. 

Several floors below his balcony, Aaravos swept into the foyer and approached the doorway. His silver hair caught the wind and danced in the moonlight as he threw the door open. 

Viren stalked along the hallway until he could see the servants standing in the doorway. Four vampires, silhouetted by the cascading light, glared into the castle. One stepped forward and removed his hood, ribbons of red and gold adorning his robes. 

“So you are still alive, prisoner,” said the servant in a thick accent, full of disgust. 

“Yes, most unfortunate that I haven’t passed away in the decade since you last visited,” Aaravos replied, in a bored tone. “It would make this all much simpler.”

The servant bared his fangs. Another of the vampires approached the doorway and spoke. “There are prints in the dirt leading to the castle. You’ve had another visitor recently?” 

Viren watched from above, tense. Aaravos’ words echoed in his mind. _If they find you, they will kill you._ Hearing the mention of him solidified just what he was risking by eavesdropping on this conversation. He wasn’t sure he’d be able to take on four vampires, at once, if Aaravos didn’t come to his defense, which was doubtful at least. If Aaravos invited them in, he remembered suddenly. If the vampire lord didn’t allow them past the doorway, he was safe. Still, he didn’t like relying on Aaravos’s judgement for security.

“Just a foolish human wishing to explore the castle,” replied Aaravos. 

Viren tried not to be offended by the statement but promptly failed. It wasn’t foolishness that had brought him here, it was necessity, courage even. Is that what Aaravos thought of him? And yet the asshole had the audacity to call him special. Viren shook the memory of his softness away. It was extraordinarily dangerous to relive that particular fondness. It would only get him killed. 

“What did you do to this human?” the second servant asked. 

Aaravos sneered at his fellow vampires. “I ate him. Obviously.” Then he licked his fangs, as if the taste of blood still lingered upon them.

At least that comment wasn’t altogether a lie, Viren thought, remembering the sensation of fangs sinking into his skin. 

The servants looked at each other skeptically. A third surveyed the castle behind them, sniffing at the air. The fourth moved toward the doorway without removing his hood, proving to be the largest of the group. 

“Then why do you hesitate to let us in?” he demanded. 

Aaravos’s eyes narrowed. “The others have never needed to enter the castle to maintain my imprisonment. Do you not fear being caught in the curse? Trapped here for an eternity alongside me?” 

Viren exhaled a breath he didn’t know he’d been holding. Aaravos wasn’t going to let them in. They wouldn’t find out he was here. He’d be safe. 

“The curse was created for you. For your punishment,” the final servant declared. “It will not threaten us.” 

The first two vampires did not look so sure. 

“You will let us in,” the third servant’s voice rang out. She stepped into view, returning from her observation of the castle. “Or we will tell the Queen you’ve been extending your borders.” 

Viren couldn’t see Aaravos’s reaction as he was facing away, but he could tell by the energy of the room that this threat meant something to him. 

There was a moment of tense silence. Then, “Well. Do come in, brethren.” 

Fuck. Viren gripped his staff tighter and pressed himself against the wall. 

All four of the vampires entered the castle, staying near to each other. Aaravos stepped further in too, making a small circle as he lit the torches on the first floor.

“Where did you kill this human?” the female vampire asked, her eyes sweeping the castle, as if searching for something. 

“Is that truly of consequence?” Aaravos sighed, with a bored expression. 

“Yes,” she replied, taking a deep inhale. Her face turned dark and violent. “Because I still smell him in here.” 

Viren gulped, trying to push himself further into the wall. He had known vampires were hunters, with heightened senses. He had never known just how heightened. He wondered if his proximity to them was what had given him away, or if his very presence in the castle would have been enough, even hidden. 

The other servants inhaled too, their fangs protruding out over their lips. 

“He smells fresh,” said the first.

“And alive,” said the second. 

“And of _magic_ ” said the fourth. 

“You’ve found yourself a magician,” accused the third. Her dark visage turned into something much more fearful. 

For all his intelligence, Viren could not imagine what that meant. Aaravos was clearly quite powerful in magic himself, stronger than Viren even, though he loathed to admit it. What need would he have for a human magician? And why did this vampire seem so afraid of that? Lost in contemplation, he almost missed what was happening below. 

Khessa’s servants were circling in on Aaravos in an attempt to surround him. The ancient vampire lord stayed still. Watched. Waited. 

The first two vampires to approach the door looked to each other, then pounced. 

In a flash, Aaravos dodged their claws, snapping one’s arm backwards until it cracked. The second recovered and slashed at Aaravos, trying to help his friend, who cried out, his arm dangling uselessly. Aaravos’s claws racked across his chest, sending blood and flesh across the room. 

The commotion startled Viren out of his thoughts, and he crept to the edge to watch the battle breaking out. He should probably help Aaravos, said a voice in the back of his head. The vampire hadn’t attacked until they threatened Viren. It was almost as if the asshole was protecting him. 

The large vampire charged Aaravos, but he danced delicately out of the way, blinding him with a blast of light from his palm. 

The third was still looking frantically about the castle, frozen in fear. 

As the fourth vampire cried out in pain and held his face, Aaravos dodged another weak attack from the first and threw him to the ground. As the second crept up behind him, Aaravos spun and pounced on his attacker, fangs landing deep in his throat. 

There was a sound of tearing flesh, and the vampire was unable to shout, his vocal chords far from his body, on Aaravos’ tongue, before his body fell to the ground. His decapitated head hit the ground a second later. 

The third finally moved at the sight of her dead friend, dashing toward the door with a determined look, as if hoping to make it out to tell the Queen what had just transpired. 

Viren moved his staff to stop her, but Aaravos got there first, a bright string of silver magic threading itself around her and slicing her in half. 

With an anguished cry, the first vampire made one last attempt at attack, running forward with superhuman speed and revealing a silver blade from his cloak. 

Aaravos laughed when he saw it and twisted his other arm, making him drop the blade. With a flick, the lord made the blade stand itself upright, and he pushed the servant to the floor. The servant writhed for a moment on the blade before going still. 

The broad vampire was still knelt on the floor, scraping at his eye sockets, where his eyes had quite literally melted away. Aaravos walked past the three corpses to bend down in front of him. 

What the vampire whispered into his victim’s ear, Viren could not hear. Only the last servant’s moan of despair reached him, as Aaravos plunged a hand into his chest, and tore his heart out. The body slumped to the ground, blood spilling out from a wide chest cavity. 

With a look of violent satisfaction, Aaravos dipped his fangs into the heart, taking a bite out of it. Blood trickled down his lips and through his fingers, staining his freckles red. When he looked up, he looked directly at Viren. 

A cold shiver went down Viren’s spine. He stood up to better view the carnage left below. So the vampire lord was a monster after all. He shouldn’t have been so surprised. But still, something tugged at the back of his mind, a whisper that Aaravos had only attacked once _his_ life was threatened. His mortal, human life. 

And then there was what the servant had said. _You’ve found yourself a magician_ , with fear in her eyes. He was important somehow. His being there was critical to Aaravos for some reason, and he would be damned if he didn’t find out why. Special indeed. 

“You can come down now little magician,” Aaravos called, still devouring the rest of the heart. 

For once, Viren actually listened, descending through the halls, lost in thought. He entered the foyer, head still muddled with questions and no answers. Despite the carnage surrounding them, Viren had a strange feeling that Aaravos would not kill him. The vampire still needed him for something, though for what he could not imagine. 

“This blood is on your hands you know. You didn’t hide like I told you to.” The vampire licked the blood running off his fingers, making eye contact with Viren while he did it. 

Viren frowned. “Who is Queen Khessa to you?” he asked first, observing the vampire corpses now littered about the castle entrance. 

“An old enemy,” Aaravos replied. “A descendant of the council member most responsible for my banishment. She has been charged with ensuring my imprisonment continues, sends parties every decade to confirm I’m... still here.” He gestured grandly to the castle walls. 

“Then she is afraid you’ll escape somehow?” Viren put together. 

“Perhaps,” Aaravos shrugged. “It’s just a precaution.” 

“What did she mean by you found a magician?” he asked next, watching him closely. 

“Best not to worry what the dead say,” said Aaravos after a moment, licking excess blood from his lips. 

“Why did you call me special?” Viren said, surprising even himself with the question. 

Aaravos turned away from the bodies and stalked toward the human until he was close enough to touch the facial hair on his chin. The vampire smiled, flashing his bloodied fangs, and leaned in to speak in his ear. 

“Because you _are_ , High Magician Viren of Katolis. Very special. To me.” 

The smell of salt and hot breath in his ear was making Viren dizzy, but he was able to stare into the vampire’s eyes as he pulled away, to search for any sign of a lie. _But why?_ he wanted to ask. Aaravos was exceptional, even among vampires, that was no secret. He had rare, incredible magic. He was objectively gorgeous. He had lived a thousand years, more lifetimes than Viren could even imagine. Yet he looked upon Viren and called him special. 

“Come,” Aaravos beckoned, making his way up the staircase. “I have to change my robes now that they’re bloodied.” 

“What do I have to do with that?” Viren asked, brow creased. 

The vampire turned to look at him. “Oh please. You know.” 

Viren let out a sigh, then followed the vampire down the halls to the bedroom he’d woken up in not an hour earlier. His head was spinning, trying to make sense of everything. He needed to know what Khessa’s servant had meant. He needed to figure out what he meant to Aaravos, why Aaravos had went so far as to murder four of his own kind for a human’s defense. He needed to know why Aaravos called him special, in a way that none of his lovers in Katolis ever had. 

Not an hour ago, Viren had the mind to kill the bloodsucker where he stood. He still did, if he was honest. But there was a new edge, something that hadn’t been there even in his lust the day before. A new meaning to what he’d thought were just well-dressed lies and false flattery. 

They had barely entered the bedroom before Aaravos began to undress. 

Despite their previous activities, Viren turned around to look at the doorway. He didn’t need any more temptation that he’d already had, he reasoned. 

Aaravos’ sultry voice in his ear startled him more than he’d like to admit. “Do you want to know a secret?” 

Viren felt the vampire’s hand slip around his waist, his weight press against his back. “Yes,” he answered. “What?” 

“I was hoping you’d figure it out on your own,” Aaravos whispered, nicking Viren’s ear with a fang. “Since you think you’re so smart and all.” 

He pulled his ear away from Aaravos’ mouth and spun in his arms to face him with a frown. “I am smart. Just because you think I’m some _foolish human_ ,” he said, forcing Aaravos’ arms off him and stepping away. As if he would forget what Aaravos had said to the other vampires, how he’d practically bragged about feeding off him. 

Aaravos pouted. His robes were decorating the floor, only thin blue pants and his boots remained, both splattered with the blood of dead vampires. 

Viren bite back the thoughts of how incredibly powerful he’d looked while ripping those other bloodsuckers apart, and how beautiful he looked now with the galaxies painted across his body. 

“I also told them I ate you, if you recall,” came his response, though there was less attitude to it than before. 

“That wasn’t untrue,” Viren countered, rubbing at his shoulder, still able to feel where his fangs had sunk in. “I thought you never lie.” 

“Fine,” Aaravos growled. “When you first arrived, I thought you a reckless idiot. An easy victim. Another human who had fallen into my trap.”

“What trap?” Viren asked, his heart beating nearly out of his chest. 

“The little rumor of course. That something hidden in the castle held the secret to destroying the vampire kingdoms. I started it myself, centuries ago. Without it, I’d never have survived this long with so little to eat.” 

With every word the vampire said, Viren’s world crumbled into smaller and smaller pieces. The weapon wasn’t real after all. There was nothing here, it was only a trick as he’d suspected at the very beginning, upon finding a live vampire in the castle. He was going to die here, fighting this monster, or he was going to return to Katolis having traveled so far and risked so much for nothing. 

Opeli would have him executed for what he’d last said to her, at the council meeting when he’d announced his journey. Perhaps he was a self-important bastard after all, to think he could single-handedly save the kingdom with only a baseless rumor. 

Any thoughts of the vampiress’ words left him, replaced only by his growing despair.

Aaravos’ expression was a mask of sadistic satisfaction. “But of course, as you reiterated. I never lie.” 

The spiraling anguish in his head paused just long enough for Viren to consider this. There was no weapon, it was a trap. But there was a weapon, because Aaravos didn’t lie. He had suggested earlier than the weapon wasn’t so much a weapon as it was something else. Some sort of knowledge or spell or... 

Viren’s eyes widened with the sudden realization. They locked gazes. “It’s you,” Viren breathed, a whisper into the cold room. 

Aaravos’ mask morphed into a much more genuine look of pure vindication.

“You’re the... you killed all those vampires like they were nothing,” Viren stuttered, the image of the heart thudding in his hand fresh in his mind. 

“I have killed hundreds,” Aaravos smiled. “And I will kill hundreds more. For you.” The vampire approached him again, and this time Viren let him, too stunned by his tumultuous emotions to refuse. 

“I’ll only ask you one favor,” Aaravos started to say, but Viren was already on his lips. 

The vampire truly tasted of blood this time, of salt and sweat and sweetness. Viren wrapped a hand in his hair, tugged his body closer, his lips pressed soundly against Aaravos. 

Any disgust or anger he had felt previously was gone. This was what he had come here for, he realized. Aaravos was _his_. His weapon. His champion. He would give the vampire anything he wanted, any favor, anything he asked. 

His cock twitched as he imagined his triumphant return to Katolis, a legend and savior of humanity. 

Viren licked at Aaravos’ lips, then his fangs, letting out a moan as Aaravos nipped at his tongue. They broke apart for a moment, Viren taking the opportunity to reach for Aaravos’ trousers, and then they kissed again. 

Viren pulled away first, only to leave kisses down the vampire’s neck, sucking on the stars all the way down his abdomen until he was on his knees. He wasn’t sure what sort of favor Aaravos had been preparing to ask for, but he could do this for him at least. 

He dragged the vampire’s trousers down with him, revealing Aaravos, half hard. Aaravos ran a hand through Viren’s hair, as if goading him on, and stared into his eyes. 

The vampire’s eyes glowed, like they had at the end of their fight, and Aaravos said in a low roar, “ _Viren_.” 

Viren felt a shiver run through his body at his name, some sort of ancient magic that made every part of him feel sensitive, heightened. He lurched forward and captured Aaravos in his mouth, lapping up and down his cock. He let the vampire direct him, with little pushes and pulls at his hair, as he took his whole length in, nearly gagging on it. His throat felt tender with the combination of magic and manhood inside it. Aaravos allowed him a breath, and Viren added a hand, twisting at his dick while he spun his tongue around his tip, tasting his precum with a wry grin.

In a quick motion, Aaravos yanked him back up to his feet and smothered his lips in a passionate kiss. Viren let his lips be captured by the vampire’s, let Aaravos guide them to the bed, let his clothes be stripped off him one by one. 

There was no rush this time, no scramble to finish before the lust ran out. Viren allowed himself to be fully enamored with this venerable lord of monsters that would bring him victory. They were meant for each other. How long had Aaravos waited, alone, for this reward? 

His whole body trembled as Aaravos entered him. They were facing each other this time, eyes locked on one another, captivated. Viren had his arm wrapped around Aaravos’ shoulders, kissing him again and again as Aaravos thrusted into him, trying to anchor himself through this overwhelming sensation.

Aaravos bent his neck, lowering himself to Viren’s throat and taking a long sip of blood, before pulling his fangs out and letting the bite marks heal themselves. Another side effect of whatever name spell he was under, Viren pondered though he did not mind. The thrill of Aaravos drinking him was far more intense. He could feel the flow of his blood, the beating of his heart in rhythm with Aaravos’ movement, a sensation almost like giving life to a new spell. 

Aaravos kissed him again, and he tasted his own blood on his tongue. 

The vampire delicately stroked Viren in time with his thrusts, their tongues intertwined. Viren felt like his entire body was alight. He arched into Aaravos, moaning the vampire’s name into his lips, little groans spilling out of him at every caress of his fingers. 

“See?” Aaravos whispered into his ear. “You’re so special. So _powerful_.” 

This time, Viren believed him. He threw his head back as he came, fangs deep in his shoulder, and cried out, “Aaravos!” At the same moment, Aaravos came spilling into him with a deep growl. 

Viren’s body shuddered as his wounds healed, and the spell began to fade. He kissed Aaravos once more, a sort of reassurance that he wouldn’t regret this. That he’d meant it. 

The vampire, still inside him, buried his face in Viren’s neck and hummed contentedly. They stayed like that for a long moment, still taking in one another. 

“You know, little magician,” Aaravos broke the silence first, speaking into Viren’s skin, “that isn’t really what I meant by a favor.” He sat up, looking down at Viren while tracing lines across his chest. 

Viren’s eyebrows wrinkled. “Oh?” 

“There’s only one spell you can do that I can’t,” Aaravos hinted, smiling at him softly. 

Viren racked his muddled brain, still slightly distracted by the vampire’s body draped over him and the look Aaravos had on his face, a mixture of awe and glee. 

He closed his eyes and leaned his head back in an attempt to focus. He had something, a spell it turned out, that Aaravos didn’t. A spell that he needed, that he’d risked killing Khessa’s servants for. A spell that Khessa’s servants had feared more than death. 

_You’ve found yourself a magician._

Viren opened his eyes in an instant and sat up on the bed, disrupting Aaravos’ casual lounging on him. He blinked and Aaravos blinked back at him. 

“You want me to let you out.” 

It wasn’t a question really. He should have realized it sooner. Of course Aaravos wasn’t asking him to suck his dick in return for help defending Katolis. He was asking for his freedom. 

Aaravos only tilted his head in reply, as if asking for Viren’s approval. As if he still wasn’t sure whether Viren would do the spell, would risk freeing him. 

Viren pulled him in for a soft kiss, gently closing the distance and bringing them together. Aaravos responded in turn, one hand placed delicately over his heart. 

“I’m going to let you out,” Viren said, into his lips. 

And so he did.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you all so much for the support! I've got a few new fics in the works, but until then you can catch me on twitter as beastlybrooke and tumblr as iabandonedmybois


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